


Well Spoiled For

by seri-kun (vanijane)



Series: Purus Sanguinis [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Bickering, F/M, Female Regulus Black, Fluff and Humor, Implied/Referenced Incest, James Potter Can Be A Prat But We Still Love Him Anyway, Married Couple, Pureblood Culture (Harry Potter), Pureblood Society (Harry Potter), Purebloods (Harry Potter), Rich James Potter, Sentient Houses, Spoiled Regulus Black, silliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26472433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanijane/pseuds/seri-kun
Summary: James wants to provide (read: spoil) his wife, she begs to differ. They bicker until they reach a slight compromise.There had to be a mistake—there was a discrepancy in the flow of his assets. Where the should’ve been purchases made under his account, nothing was listed."Regina, what is the meaning of this?""Those are financial reports from Gringotts, James. Have you gone bankrupt?"
Relationships: Regulus Black/James Potter, Sirius Black/Narcissa Black Malfoy
Series: Purus Sanguinis [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1903453
Comments: 2
Kudos: 208





	Well Spoiled For

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Restricted Work] by [Ellory](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellory/pseuds/Ellory). Log in to view. 



> This work was very loosely inspired by the Pureblood Culture series by [Ellory](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellory), and some of the headcanons she posted in relation to Pureblood Culture on her defunct tumblr page.  
>    
>  Also a few **warnings** before proceeding on:  
>  * Regina Black (Genderbent/Female Regulus Black)  
>  * Sirius Black/Narcissa Black cousincest  
>  * James getting really worked up over traditional financial roles (husbands providing for their wives).  
>    
>  If any of these themes or content offends you, please turn away and click the back button (ALT + Left arrow key). Any comments criticising or bashing the above mentioned warnings will be deleted.  
>    
>  Thank you and please enjoy.

Lord James Potter of the Most Ancient and Honourable House of Potter and ( _to those who still practiced the Olde Traditions_ ) High Lord of Avalon stared, almost transfixed, at the monthly balance reports of his vaults. He scrutinised the fine writing of the goblins, their neat penmanship nothing like the brashness of their attitude towards anything not gold, and frowned after reading over the parchment at least five times.

There had to be a mistake—

There was a discrepancy in the flow of his assets. Where the should’ve been purchases made under his account, it wasn’t listed and surely the goblins would’ve done a better job than that. After all, the goblins were known to be uppity about the gold ( _that was not theirs_ ) and were painfully, annoyingly, blessedly meticulous. In all the years that House Potter had availed the services of the goblins, never had they missed a purchase let alone dozens.

This couldn’t have been the work of the goblins, nor did he think anyone messed with his reports—it was simply impossible unless they were his blood sworn brother, Sirius, but he wouldn’t do something as uncreative or unexciting as this. No, this was too mundane for Sirius’ taste. And the reports were directly delivered to his estate by a goblin messenger ( _never by owl, you could never trust your finances by owl carrier_ ), received by the head house elf and brought immediately to his study. There was simply no way they could’ve been altered or messed with—

James sucked a breath, his head pounding as the only reason for this came to the forefront of his mind.

Without putting down the report already on his hand, he wandlessly Summoned the financial reports from the previous months. The drawer came flying to his hand from across the room and the specific papers fluttered out, lining themselves upright in front of him.

A gasp and a curse. He grabbed the parchment from the air as he stood up from his armchair, nearly sending the ancient leather piece toppling behind him, and stalked out the room—he needed to speak with his wife for she was the only reason for this to have happened.

* * *

Lady Regina Potter née Black, sister to Lord Sirius Black of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black, and the beloved wife of James Potter was in one of the smaller, but not any less extravagant, living rooms sharing a cup of tea with her cousin and sister-in-law, the Lady Narcissa Black ( _née Black_ ), when they were interrupted by her husband.

James barged into the room like an indignant erumpet with a purpose, all the while waving the monthly balance reports as if to make a point of protest.

“Regina, what is the meaning of this?” He demanded with a shout and stopped before his wife with a frown.

She didn’t answer him immediately, instead she eyed him warily and glanced at the reports before turning her attention back to him.

“Those are financial reports from Gringotts, James. Have you gone bankrupt?” She attempted to tease lightly, though there was an edge, a sharpness to her tone that came whenever she was cornered. She never liked being caged in, or being under the scrutiny of others.

( _Ever the cool-headed witch, Narcissa smiled into her cup of tea and pretended to sip. This would be an entertaining story to tell Sirius when she returned home._ )

“Of course not,” James scoffed as if the very thought of bankruptcy was the absurdest notion in the world, which could very well be, considering that House Potter was paid royalties for every time anyone purchased a bottle of pepper-up potion ( _and at least thirty per cent of all other types of potions in active circulation around Britain_ ). Unless everyone actually stopped using all of their potions, then House Potter was the least likely of the wizarding houses to go bankrupt ( _but even if they did, it would take at least a century more of exuberant spending before any members of the house would feel its effects_ ).

“Then what is the matter, James?” The corner of Regina’s lips twitched impatiently, she never did like being interrupted even if it was by the husband she so dearly loved. “Do I need to use Legilimency to have an explanation as to why you’ve come in here to intrude on our conversation?”

“No!” He responded loudly, as he usually was when he was fixated on something ( _bloody Gryffindors_ ). “But I might need to!”

“ _Excuse me_?” Now it was Regina’s turned to be insulted. Not that she had anything to hide from her husband, but she was a private person who didn’t want to be forced into sharing. James knew this, everyone dear to her knew this. He wouldn’t even use it as a butt of a joke.

“Why aren’t you spending my money?” James continued in that same loud and indignant tone as if his wife hadn’t said anything. “Don’t even deny it! I’ve seen the boxes being delivered, and I noticed the increased size of your wardrobe!”

He brought up the reports again and waved it in the air, “nothing! _None_ of your purchases are listed here!”

Regina blinked, she blinked again, and blinked once more. She stared at the handsome wizard she married as if he’d suddenly grown an extra head, her mouth opening before closing without a successful word coming out.

“You—you’re furious, _actually_ furious, that I haven’t used your money—”

“ _Yes_!” James threw his hands in the air, setting the parchment flying in a dramatic flair to prove just how frustrated he was. “What is it, Regina? Have I upset you? Is it not enough? Have the establishments denied you access to my accounts? Are you not contented with my galleons?”

“Oh Merlin,” Regina whispered under her breath with the restrained fury of a witch whose patience was being tested yet again. Her delicate fingers came to pinch the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes, almost as if she were offering a prayer to Mother Magic.

( _Narcissa was quite proud that she hadn’t burst out laughing at how this conversation progressed. However, she could also sympathise with her sister-in-law because she was married to the other half of James Potter’s absurdity._ )

“James,” Regina dropped her hand with a light thump on the plush sofa, her voice stern with forced patience. “I have my own vaults; I don’t need to use your money.”

James sputtered. “I am your husband!”

“Not for very long if you deign to keep this up,” she threatened, earning a pained and fearful wince from him. She inhaled sharply and sighed, her patience was wearing thin for each second he stood in front of her. “James, I don’t give a rat’s arse whose ever money I spend, we’re both bloody rich enough to not actually care. None of my purchases would be able to make a significant dent to any of the vaults anyway.”

“ _Regina_ ,” James took her hands into his and bent down to kiss her knuckles. He almost sounded like he was begging her on his knees, asking the world of her. “We’re married, you’re my wife. Allow me to provide for you.”

“This means a lot to you,” Regina spoke with surprise, as if she’d only realised he wasn’t at all pulling a prank or just being a prat about it ( _he certainly was at times, though and sometimes Regina wasn’t quite sure what mood her husband was on_ ). “This really means a lot to you.”

“Of course, darling. Anything pertaining to you means a lot to me.” He kissed her knuckles again, this time lingering only slightly longer.

“Is this...is this one of those honourable things you’re bound to...?” She deigned to ask, because she was quite certain Sirius wasn’t this particular about his wife’s own spending ( _then again, they already both shared the same family vaults_ ) nor did the husbands of her other friends ( _though they were technically spending equal amounts from their own vaults and their respective husbands’ vaults, except for Mistress Heleina Selwyn because her husband’s family was poorer compared to her family and she would empty his meagre vaults in one day of shopping in Diagon if she did_ ).

“No!” He denied quickly without much thought before frowning in bewilderment. Then after a beat, he spoke with the tone of uncertainty, “yes? I don’t know.”

He once again pressed her hands to his lips before continuing on, with more certainty than the last, “but what I do know is that it would please me if my lovely, understanding wife would use the Potter vaults. Whatever vaults House Black has stored for you, keep it in your savings for a darker day when I and House Potter am no longer able to provide for you.”

A dark emotion came over her at the implication of his words. There was only one way for James to stop providing for her, to stop humouring her every whim, to stop loving her every second of the day, and that was when he would die. He would have set a fund for her, a contingency plan should he leave her first, to make sure she was comfortable by his standards and would be well cared for, but Regina’s mind couldn’t wrap around the possibility of living without him even in the lap of the most extreme of luxuries.

Her magic clawed at him, wrapping around his like ropes and chains, drawing his magic against hers and folding them together. She tugged at his core, bringing his warmth close as if she was suffering in the cold, and James gave it all to her. He let her take what she sought and he gave her more until she was covered in his magic, until she was heady with it and drowning in his magic.

It was only then that Narcissa, who had been such a dutiful quiet observer thus far, finally spoke with a wry smile.

“Besides, cousin, what would the people say,” she said with that slight lilt to her voice that suggested she was stringing this conversation along, that she had made her web and was waiting for people to get stuck in it. “‘ _Lord James Potter, unable to provide for his wife’s own wardrobe?_ ’ Oh, the scandal it would be! Think of all the willingly foolish wizards who would jump to the opportunity to provide you with whatever your lord husband is unable to.”

Regina gaped at her, knowing very well what sort of trap Narcissa laid out and also knowing even better that James was stupid enough to fall for it. And fall for it he did, his magic exploded and the very estate came alive with it. The marble floors screeched, the golden curtain rods rattled as the brocade coverings shuddered, there was the faint sound of glass breaking around the house, and even the teacup in Narcissa’s hand was quivering as if it were possessed by a scared ghost ( _and surely, any unlucky and lost boggart that made any crevice of the Potter estate their home was suddenly displaced at this surge of magic_ ).

“James—” she turned to his husband to calm his agitations but she could see that he was too far gone. There was nothing of sensibility left for Regina to anchor him to, it was in the way that his expression darkened as if there was such a foolish wizard already outside the room daring to whisk Regina away with gold and baubles. They both knew she wouldn’t whether there really was any foolish wizard to do so, but it was a grave insult to her for any wizard to even attempt to do so ( _and it would be an insult to James as well, but that really came second, in James’ opinion, to the insult it would carry against his wife_ ).

“I’ll buy you Diagon—”

“ _You will so no such thing, James Potter_!” Regina exclaimed, sharp and strong, before he could even finish. She tugged at his hand, digging her fingers into his palm as if the physical pain could anchor him to their present reality. “We have no need for the entire Diagon Alley, not to mention a monopoly is illegal, you foolish man. You already own most of the potions in circulation all over the world, only someone truly foolish and living under a rock would question your ability to provide for me.”

“But—”

“No, James. And that’s the end of the conversation,” Regina insisted, her tone carrying enough severity to get her point across and stop this nonsense. “I will make it my life’s duty to empty your personal vault in all the possible ways that I can, so don’t ever think of this again. By the end of the week, no one would ever say James Potter was an inattentive husband and that his wife is wallowing in poor misery.”

Somehow that managed to stop the rattling and appease James’ troubles. He smiled at her thankfully, looked at her with all the love in the world and peppered her knuckles with too many kisses that it was rather gaudy and childish but made Regina’s heart flutter and stomach shiver just the same.

Even Narcissa couldn’t restrain the melodious giggle that tumbled from her lips at the sight of her sister-in-law having to herd her simpleminded husband ( _it was always entertaining to see someone_ else _handle such simple-mindedness. After all, she was married to Sirius and he could be far more erratic at times_ ).

Once James excused himself to return to his study, and the monthly reports fluttering after him in the wind like sad line of stalking admirers, Regina turned to her sister-in-law with a glare.

“That was unnecessary.”

“Oh please, Regina. It was entertainment, we do need levity in these trying times.”

Regina frowned, unimpressed with her sister-in-law, and nearly curled her lip when she blandly remarked, “the only trying about the times is the lack of silver lace in all of Britain.”

“As a member of House Black—oh don’t give me that look, James is of our house, too—it’s absurd for all shops to not have silver for the season.” Narcissa scrunched her delicate nose and lifted her voice in poor imitation of the tailor’s assistant they faced earlier that day, “‘ _silver clashes with the season’s colours_ ’! Silver only clashes if you’re not suited to wear it. Sirius will have a fit when I tell him, you know how he’s a bit of a peacock underneath all that roguishness.”

At that comparison, Regina couldn’t maintain her irritation at Narcissa even if she wanted to. Her brother was no peacock, but he certainly was particular about how he presented himself. And with how his wife was finely and perfectly dressed, Sirius had improved his questionable fashion sense to a less questionable taste which was now slightly leaning towards socially acceptable ( _the papers would report hopefully that Lady Narcissa would make a proper wizard out of him, but they didn’t know Sirius as well as his family did. This was the best of socially acceptable he could ever achieve even with the efforts of his wife._ )

There was no way he would appreciate being compared to a peacock. Not only was it too flamboyant for him, but it was Heir Lucius Malfoy’s favoured animal and Sirius would never forget the time Lucius was courting Narcissa ( _they would’ve married if Sirius moved any slower and had James not hit him on the head and told him that he shouldn’t let his pride cost him his heart_ ).

And knowing just how much it would annoy her brother, thereby annoying Narcissa indirectly because Sirius would surely complain about it for a few hours, Regina wrote to him exactly how their conversation went.

( _They would be having tea in Diagon Alley, courtesy of James’ sizable vaults, when both ladies would call a premature truce on using their husbands as entertainment at the expense of the other. Instead, they would try to set their husbands lose on the general public during the next ball of the season._ )

* * *

The very next month when the financial reports from Gringotts were delivered to him, James was pleased to find a much longer parchment than the previous months. Regina bought at least a dozen dress robes for herself, thrice as many shoes and accessories, had a pot of tea and cakes at the shops at least thrice a week, and paid for a shipment of silver, red and gold fabrics from Italy that were due to arrive soon.

Yet he frowned when he came to the bottom of the lengthy list, something _still_ wasn’t right—he was sure Regina bought him the appropriate dress robes for the balls they went to ( _and would be going to, if only to make sure that no wizard would dare to approach or speak to her_ ) but none of those were enumerated on the list.

Before he could stand to find his wife and question her however, Regina was already at the door with rolls of red fabric floating behind her. She strolled in, as if she were not intruding on any Lordly business though even if James had been conducting proper Lordly business ( _instead of, once again, gaping at the lack of expenditures on their finances_ ), she would’ve entered without any mind that she was interrupting ( _because James_ will _make time for her_ ).

“James, I need you to decide—the sangria or the burgundy? To match with the crimson and gold, of course,” she added as she flicked her wand and the fabrics lavishly rolled out around him, the fabrics suspended on air for his viewing. “The sangria would bring out your eyes, surely, but the burgundy is quite a regal colour on you, darling. Lady Mallory’s ballroom is _notoriously_ laden with gold enchantments, I suppose we need to take that into account, too.”

“Regina,” he said without any interest for the fabrics, further emphasizing it by parting the sea of red fabrics between them with a wave of his hand. Another wave and the monthly report from Gringotts flew up to her face like a Letter of Summons from the Ministry of Magic, “this is still missing my robes—has there been a problem with payment, darling?”

“Oh, for—” Regina huffed and batted the parchment with the back of her hand as if it greatly offended her ( _it didn’t, but it was annoying at this point_ ), sending it tumbling down the antique wooden desk. She rolled her eyes at her husband and flicked her wand, the fabrics immediately rolled out and wrapped around his arms and chest, trapping him to the chair.

She walked around the table and sat sideways on his lap to face him, giggling at the struggle so clearly reflected on her husband’s features. James was torn, warring between wanting to discuss the financial issue and forgoing it completely for whatever Regina was planning to do to him while he was immobilised.

“Calm down, my Lord,” she teased, knowing very well that calling him as such would result in the opposite. “If a lord can dress his wife in his gold, can a lady not do the same for her husband?”

“Yes, of course,” James choked out, frowning and quickly growing frustrated at being bound and lead on. He would gladly subject himself to his wife’s torment, but not if the teasing was as coldly unenticing as their bloody finances.

“But the point is that I want to spoil you, Regina,” he gritted out as he flexed his hands and tested the strength of the fabrics restraining him.

“You have already made a rotten witch out of me, James Potter.” She laughed and leaned onto his chest, laying her palm flat over it with a gentle pressure. “Allow me to dress my husband in my gold. Only witches with families wealthier than their husbands do so, and that’s not _my_ point. Let me buy you, my loving and understanding husband, gifts with my gold and show everyone that Regina Black is not a kept witch, she is a loved witch.”

“Regina Potter,” he corrected with the stubbornness of a petulant child. He had yearned _for months_ to give her his name and take her as his wife, and he relished every time anyone used her new name ( _and was just as incensed whenever anyone made the mistake of calling her by her old name_ ).

She smiled, cupping his face with her hands and pressed their foreheads together. She gingerly kissed him, slow and tenderly, coaxing him with private promises that were quick to rile him up. The chair bucked underneath them as James tried, but failed, to reach out and press her against him.

Regina laughed into their kiss, breaking it to James’ continued frustrations. Common charmed fabrics were no match for James Potter’s magic, and especially where his magic was the strongest in his ancestral home, but he let himself be tied up ( _quite literally_ ) to her whims. The fact that he could so easily burn off his bindings but _chose_ _not to_ gave her such a rush of power and excitement and adoration for the husband she chose.

“Regina Potter,” she agreed, eyes sparking with amusement and mischief and everything else. “James Potter’s wife, mother of his children, loved and adored by him.”

His eyes glazed at the mention of children but only momentarily ( _though how he wanted them, wanted to sire the children born from Regina and see them with both their features_ ), before he focused on her face and sighed like a man who welcomed his defeat. He leaned forward as much as he could and nipped at her jaw, teething it playfully ( _hoping it would convince her to shut up about whatever unimportant matter they were discussing so they could focus on more important, pleasurable things_ ).

“Fine, but the only time you’ll ever spend your money is to buy me presents,” he said concededly, shoulders sagging dramatically for a moment before he snapped back into attention. He blinked, not really looking at her, as the weight and meaning of his words only struck him now.

A fierce emotion came over him then. The feeling of being possessed, in a manner of speaking, by his wife igniting a deep longing inside of him. Wizards regularly claimed witches for their own, bringing them under their protection and house. Yet witches rarely ever did the same, unless they were the last of their house and line because to do so would be a slight to the wizard being claimed. But a different feeling came to James—

Regina, powerful and beautiful witch that she was, had the pick of any wizard. She _chose_ him over everyone else ( _not that he was just any simple wizard, but he felt honoured just the same_ ) and she _wanted_ everyone to know that she did.

Though unlike how he wanted to keep her hidden away in the comforts of their home and ensure that no wizard would ever dare to approach her, Regina simply wanted to make a bold statement of her own: _you may gaze upon him but he is_ mine _, touch him and you shall face death at my wand._

It was the very sort of attention and notoriety that James thrived and revelled in.

**Author's Note:**

> Stress + Reading historical romance novels + Harry Potter = this brain child.  
>    
>  I know it's an archaic notion about men having to pay for women, and I really don't support that mindset in RL, but it makes for a good story (I think) especially since Regina isn't the type to abuse James for it.  
>    
>  Anyway, thank you for reading!


End file.
